Updating Garcia's debut (O's win 5-4)

Updating Garcia's debut (O's win 5-4)
No matter what happens the rest of the day, Freddy Garcia has earned another start with the Orioles. As long as he doesn't develop a blister, which tends to happen with the Orioles' pitchers. Garcia has allowed one baserunner through five innings, and it came on a walk. He's also struck out one batter. Garcia has thrown 55 pitches, 36 for strikes. He's working extremely well with new catcher Chris Snyder. He's also quite comfortable facing the Angels, especially in Anaheim. As you...

Duquette confident that Davis can avoid disabled list (O's lead 3-0)

Duquette confident that Davis can avoid disabled list (O's lead 3-0)
The Orioles will wait until Monday to have one of their physicians read the MRI taken this morning on Chris Davis' right knee, but it appears that the first baseman will avoid the disabled list. An Angels physician reviewed the MRI today, but executive vice president Dan Duquette said the Orioles aren't able to "effectively read the MRI until Monday." "But the information we have is that Chris is feeling much better today and he's day-to-day," Duquette added. "It sounds like he's not...

Machado starts new hitting streak (updated)

Machado starts new hitting streak (updated)
Manny Machado's 11-game hitting streak ended last night, which largely went unnoticed because of Chris Davis' knee, Miguel Gonzalez's blister and a shutout loss to the Angels. Well, Machado has started a new one. His home run with one out in the top of the first inning today gave the Orioles a quick 1-0 lead. Machado has seven doubles, a triple and two home runs in his last 13 games. The Orioles are 9-3 in games following a loss this season. They lost last night. Just saying... Tsuyoshi...

Pearce playing first base, Snyder catching

Pearce playing first base, Snyder catching
Steve Pearce is starting at first base today while the Orioles wait for the results of Chris Davis' MRI. Chris Snyder is making his first start behind the plate for the Orioles. Nolan Reimold is batting fifth and serving as the designated hitter. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Nolan Reimold DH J.J. Hardy SS Steve Pearce 1B Ryan Flaherty 2B Chris Snyder C Freddy Garcia RHP For the Angels Erick Aybar SS Mike Trout CF Albert Pujols 1B Mark...

Clark DFA to make room for Garcia

Clark DFA to make room for Garcia
The Orioles have designated pitcher Zach Clark (UMBC) for assignment to make room for today's starter, Freddy Garcia, on the 25- and 40-man rosters. Garcia was 4-0 with a 2.67 ERA in five starts for Triple-A Norfolk this season. He was named International League Player of the Week for the week ending April 28 after going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings. Garcia's 152 career victories rank ninth among active pitchers, and he has the most wins for any Venezuelan-born pitcher in baseball...

Angels lineup vs. Orioles

Angels lineup vs. Orioles
The Orioles haven't posted their lineup or announced today's roster moves. And still no word on Chris Davis' MRI results. Will pitcher Zach Clark be optioned to make room for starter Freddy Garcia on the 25-man roster? Could the Orioles place last night's starter, Miguel Gonzalez, on the disabled list with a blister on his right thumb? They're off Monday and have two more off-days the following week, so they could skip him anyway. Room also must be made for Garcia on the 40-man...

Orioles welcome Garcia into the rotation

Orioles welcome Garcia into the rotation
Freddy Garcia makes his Orioles debut this afternoon in Anaheim, and I'm sure many fans still remember his first start of the 2012 season at Camden Yards. Garcia faced the Orioles three more times, but nothing could erase his April 10 outing for the Yankees, when he allowed four runs (three earned) and four hits in 4 2/3 innings, with three walks, a hit batter and five - count them, five - wild pitches. He threw 98 pitches. He was awful. And now he's an Oriole. It's a funny...

Davis likely to get MRI on Saturday

Davis likely to get MRI on Saturday
The Orioles are in the process of trying to schedule an MRI for Chris Davis after he left tonight's game in the fifth inning with a right knee injury. Davis was trying to beat out a slow ground ball and came down on the front edge of the bag. He limped off the field and was replaced at first base by Ryan Flaherty. Interviewed on MASN, manager Buck Showalter said Davis is "pretty upbeat about it," which is a good sign. "We'll see what we've got," Showalter said. "It just bit him there...

Davis leaves game with knee injury (O's lose 4-0)

Davis leaves game with knee injury (O's lose 4-0)
Chris Davis came out of tonight's game against the Angels with a right knee injury after landing awkwardly on first base while trying to beat out a slow ground ball in the top of the fifth inning. Davis immediately veered into foul territory, and he barely applied any pressure to his right leg. He was grimacing as he limped to the dugout, and Ryan Flaherty replaced him at first base in the bottom half of the inning. This is Flaherty's fourth major league inning at first base. Steve Pearce...

Gonzalez vs. Trumbo still one-sided

Gonzalez vs. Trumbo still one-sided
Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez needed only five pitches to retire the Angels in order in the first inning. Mark Trumbo needed only one pitch to remind Gonzalez that he owns their match-up. It's a small sample size, but Trumbo is 2-for-2 with two home runs lifetime against Gonzalez. He lined a 92-mph fastball over the left field fence in the second inning tonight to give the Angels a 1-0 lead. Gonzalez threw 11 pitches in the inning. He's thrown 16 so far, 13 for strikes. Gonzalez has...

Orioles lineup against Angels (Jurrjens update)

Orioles lineup against Angels (Jurrjens update)
Nate McLouth is sitting again tonight against a left-hander. Nolan Reimold is starting in left field and leading off against Angels southpaw Jason Vargas, and Steve Pearce is serving as the Orioles' designated hitter. For the Orioles: Nolan Reimold LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Steve Pearce DH Alexi Casilla 2B Miguel Gonzalez RHP Note: Jair Jurrjens took a shutout into the eighth inning tonight at Triple-A Norfolk....

Orioles still playing like road warriors

Orioles still playing like road warriors
The Orioles won 46 road games last season, the most in the majors, 16 more than their total in 2011 and their most since 1997 (52). The Orioles picked up their 10th road win last night, tied with the Cardinals for most in the majors. Their road win percentage of .588 is second in the American League behind the Red Sox (9-3, .750). The Orioles, who have played the most road games with 17, are 8-3 when scoring first away from home. It all starts with starting pitching, right? The Orioles are...

It's Gonzalez vs. Vargas tonight

It's Gonzalez vs. Vargas tonight
The Orioles are facing a left-hander tonight, the Angels' Jason Vargas, which could put Nate McLouth back on the bench. Manager Buck Showalter is inclined to go with his right-handed lineup, which includes Nolan Reimold in left field and Steve Pearce as the designated hitter. Reimold is 3-for-9 with a double and home run against Vargas. McLouth is 1-for-2 with an RBI. Pearce has never faced him. The Orioles might want to try something different, since Vargas has posted a 2.03 ERA against...

Etchebarren deserves entrance into Orioles HOF

Etchebarren deserves entrance into Orioles HOF
The announcement earlier this week that Roberto Alomar would be the latest inductee into the Orioles' Hall of Fame this summer sparked a debate over his worthiness and who should be next in line. The knock on Alomar: He only played three seasons here - the minimum requirement for induction - and only posted two really good ones. The third season was sub-par by his standards. His heart wasn't in it. He's probably the best overall player that I've covered. As a former teammate once noted,...

Tillman the king at his homecoming (O's win 5-1)

Tillman the king at his homecoming (O's win 5-1)
If the sixth inning doesn't jump up and bite Chris Tillman - it tends to happen to Orioles starters - he's headed toward an outstanding start in his first game in Anaheim. Tillman's having quite a time at his homecoming. He's retired 11 batters in a row and holding tightly to a 2-0 lead over the Angels. Joe Blanton had allowed only one run until the sixth. Insane. But Adam Jones singled with one out and scored on Chris Davis' double - his 29th RBI on the season. Jones had fouled a ball...

Needing the bottom to step up (Machado stays hot)

Needing the bottom to step up (Machado stays hot)
The Orioles' lineup is definitely top-heavy again tonight. The first five batters are posting averages of .329 (Nate McLouth), .311 (Manny Machado), .284 (Nick Markakis), .333 (Adam Jones) and .337 (Chris Davis). The bottom four are posting averages of .228 (Matt Wieters), .194 (J.J. Hardy), .117 (Ryan Flaherty) and .203 (Nolan Reimold). Wieters is 5-for-15 in his last four games, with a double, home run and five RBIs. That's encouraging. Hardy has registered his first two multi-hit games...

Orioles lineup vs. Angels

Orioles lineup vs. Angels
The bottom of the Orioles lineup tonight remains shortstop J.J. Hardy, second baseman Ryan Flaherty and designated hitter Nolan Reimold. The top may look familiar, as well, with left fielder Nate McLouth leading off and third baseman Manny Machado batting second. Machado will try to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 2B Nolan Reimold DH Chris Tillman...
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Angels lineup vs. Orioles

Angels lineup vs. Orioles
The Orioles have won one season series against the Angels since 2003. They went 6-0 in 2010, the only time they've swept the series in franchise history. Here's the lineup they will be facing tonight: For the Angels Erick Aybar SS Mike Trout CF Albert Pujols 1B Mark Trumbo DH Josh Hamilton RF Howie Kendrick 2B Hank Conger C Brendan Harris 3B J.B. Shuck LF Joe Blanton RHP Pujols went hitless against the Orioles in a three-game series in Anaheim on April 20-22, 2012, the first time he was...
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Davis named AL Player of the Month

Davis named AL Player of the Month
First baseman Chris Davis has been voted the American League Player of the Month for April, the first Oriole to receive the honor since Melvin Mora in August 2008. Davis batted .348 (32-for-92) with eight doubles, nine home runs, 28 RBIs, 16 walks and 19 runs scored in 27 games to claim his first career Player of the Month award. Among league leaders last month with a minimum of 81 plate appearances, Davis finished first in slugging percentage (.728) and total bases (67), tied for first in...

Revisiting O'Day's dominance (and note)

Revisiting O'Day's dominance (and note)
Late last night, I stumbled upon a retweet from one of the Orioles' beat writers and couldn't believe my eyes. The original tweet may rank as the dumbest that I've read since I joined the Twitter world, which explains why it was being shared. It was so absurd, it could not be ignored. You be the judge. A fan contended that Pedro Strop and Darren O'Day need to adjust their mechanics because they're losing games for the Orioles. Strop's issues are well-publicized and obvious to anyone...